Sports broadcaster Eurosport has agreed a new three-season deal, from 2019-20, with the IMG agency for English Premier League rights in Romania.
The Premier League is one of the most sought-after properties for broadcasters in Romania aside from Liga I, the domestic football league. The deal shows that Eurosport continues to see Romania as a market of strategic importance.
Football media-rights in Romania are dominated by telco Telekom Romania and pay-television broadcaster Digi Sport, both of which acquired and share rights to the Uefa Champions League, Europa League, Spain’s LaLiga, Italy’s Serie A and Liga I.
The new deal will also complement Eurosport’s continued coverage of English football. It has recently announced the acquisition of rights to the FA Cup – the top club cup competition in England – in a deal from this weekend (February 16) until the end of the 2020-21 season, also agreed with IMG.
IMG initially acquired Premier League rights directly last November for the new 2019-21 cycle across 26 markets in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. It is currently in the process of negotiations with broadcasters across the region and is thought to be close to completing deals in the Balkan markets and Hungary.
The new Premier League deal is a renewal of Eurosport’s current deal with IMG for the same exclusive rights, from 2016-17 to 2018-19. Eurosport has held Premier League rights in Romania since 2013-14, when it agreed a direct three-season deal with the league.